13 die as Taliban bombers attack 2 Afghan cities

Five Taliban suicide bombers attacked government centres in an eastern Afghan city on Tuesday in a complex attack that has become a signature of major Taliban assaults. Five bombers and five Afghan security forces died, officials said.

Five Taliban suicide bombers attacked government centres in an eastern Afghan city on Tuesday in a complex attack that has become a signature of major Taliban assaults. Five bombers and five Afghan security forces died, officials said.

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Three people died in a similar attack on a second Afghan city in the east.

Using suicide bombings, gunfire and rockets, the militants attacked the provincial governor's compound, the intelligence department and the police department in the eastern city of Gardez just before 1200 IST.

A suicide bombing in front of the city's police station killed two police, while a militant fired a rocket at the city's intelligence department and killed three officers, said Ghulam Dastagir, deputy provincial police chief of Paktia province. A rocket was also fired at the governor's house, he said.

A second suicide bomber at the police station was shot and killed, as were three suicide bombers who tried to attack the governor's house, Mangal said. At least two bombers were clothed in women's burqas when they were shot and killed, said Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary.

Militants tried to carry out attacks in a second eastern city -- Jalalabad -- at around the same time. Mohammad Ayub Salangi, the provincial police chief, said two suicide bombers on a motorbike and a police officer were killed after a gun battle broke out.